Condemning Violence against Asian and Asian American Communities

Dear Johns Hopkins Community,

The killings in Atlanta this week that took the lives of eight, including at least six Asian women, are tragic, and whatever the full details may prove to be, they are also an appalling reminder of the hateful acts of violence and discrimination that Asians and Asian Americans have faced throughout our nation’s history and in rising numbers since the early days of the COVID pandemic.

They come at a time of growing fear and pain felt among our own Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community at Johns Hopkins and their families during the last year. We write today to condemn the alarming and reprehensible spike in bias and hate we have witnessed across the country and to reaffirm our unwavering support of our APIDA students, faculty, staff, and postdoctoral students.

We are fortunate to have as part of the Hopkins family a diverse and vibrant Asian and Asian American community whose members are integral to our success as a university and a nation. We are committed to providing the support that will allow our Asian American and international students, faculty, and staff of Asian descent to thrive here at Johns Hopkins and in their pursuit of discovery in communities around the globe.

If you experience discrimination yourself or witness someone else facing discrimination on our campuses, we urge you to file a complaint via the Office of Institutional Equity and hope you will seek any needed mental health and well-being support through MySupport if you are faculty or staff and through wellness.jhu.edu if you are a student. You can also reach out to report anything of concern through the Speak2Us hotline, 844-SPEAK2US (844-773-2528).

In this difficult moment, we rededicate ourselves to the values of equity and humanity that set us on a path toward a more just society in which all members of our community can pursue lives free of harm, discrimination, or fear.

Sincerely,

Ronald J. Daniels
President

Sunil Kumar
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Katrina Caldwell
Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer

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